• Art - Blog - Creativity

    Words of wisdom to a child

    June 9, 2019 - By 

    Last week I found this image I’d printed ages ago…I knew immediately that it would become a focal point in an upcoming journal page.

    Since I’ve been using the term “mop up paper” quite often lately I thought I’d share a bit of a process post to give visuals to my words.

    This is where my page started. A sheet of blue copy paper 8.5 x 11 inches. I used a glue stick to adhere it to some lightweight card stock.

    After the glue was dry I cut it down to my desired size of 7 x 7 inches. Next I got out craft paints and used my favorite tool…my fingers…to spread several colors of paint over the page.

    Some of the colors are more transparent than others allowing the original color and marks to show through.

    Look at that yummy texture…  I decided to let this air dry overnight instead of drying it with the heat gun.

    Of course this is where my process failed…I totally forgot about the fact that I was taking photos step by step.

    I used rubber stamps to create some background texture. The black ink harlequin was super subtle…I felt I needed a bit more color and shape. Since most of my stamp pads are pigment ink I used clear embossed powder to set the ink.

    I also took the completed background to my sewing machine to stitch a funky border in black to contain everything.

    Next I created some layers with paper and fabric to give an anchor to my image.

    Last but not least was the words of wisdom to a little girl learning to tie shoes with her daddy’s shoes. I love that they are on the wrong feet too.

    Not only am I linking up with Words to live by on Art Journal Journey guest hosted by yours truly….

    Art Journal Journey

    but I am also linking up with Try it on Tuesday for Make a Mark.

     

     

     

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Share the joy

    June 7, 2019 - By 

    Welcome back to Halle’s Hobbies. Glad you could stop by today to check out another page for Words to live by on Art Journal Journey which I happen to be guest hosting this month. Yay!

    I had really thought I posted this earlier but I had only uploaded the photos. I guess that’s what happens to our brains during the last week of school. Mush…mush for brains. Anywho…

    I started with a page of thin blue/green mop up paper. Since it was too thin I adhered it to another sheet of thicker paper. Next I began using my favorite tool…my fingers…to paint over the chaos with bright happy colors…yellow, pink and orange. It was a little crazy so I muted things down with some white paint. After setting it aside to dry a while I cut it down to my 7×7 scrapbook journal size.

    I pulled out some scraps that complemented my color scheme at this point. I began to play with layers until I found something that pleased me. Before gluing them down I decided some spatters of black were needed to help form a cohesive look.

    Next I added some cheery flower stickers that just happened to match my color palette. The last thing was the words. I searched through my stash of words and phrases and quickly found the perfect one. 

    Share the joy.

    It wasn’t until I was taking these pictures did I notice that the scrap with the words had JOY visible twice.

    I’d love it if you’d join me for Words to live by at Art Journal Journey this month.

    Art Journal Journey
  • Blog

    Words to live by

    June 1, 2019 - By 

    I’m super excited to announce that I have the honor of hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month.

    Art Journal Journey

    I have chosen the theme of Words to live by.

    An art journal page just doesn’t seem complete without at least one word on it if you ask me. I’d say that I’m a stickler for the rules and true definition of a journal but that would be a big fat lie. I’m more of a rules are meant to be broken sort of gal…just don’t tell my kids at home or school. However, the gals over at Art Journal Journey do have some rules to adhere to if you want to play along so be sure to check them out.

    For my first journal page of the June theme, I began with an abandoned piece of painted watercolor paper. I think Mini-me was attempting a night sky perhaps. Or maybe it was even me…who knows…who cares. It became the base as I began to stack layers of papers and fabric until I found a pleasing arrangement.

    I used my sewing machine to loosely stitch the background layers together while I still contemplated where my page was headed. I rarely have an end goal in mind when I sit down to create. It really tends to stifle my creative process.

    After a time, I decided on an image I know I have used at least once…but I’m thinking perhaps twice in the past as my focal point. I slipped a piece of dictionary page and scrap of vellum under the image before attaching it with brads. 

    The page was really coming together now. I added a few extras such as washi tape, a punched medallion and vintage button before searching out words for my page.

    In general the words are my last but critical step in my journal process. As I said before, I cannot seem to create a page with words. Found text is really my favorite way of adding words. The challenge to find something relevant that speaks my mind is so much fun!

    When I noticed this phrase I thought it very fitting for the crew in the photo. What is up with this group anyway? Siblings, co-workers, man and his many wives, school chums, glee club…what’s their story? I bet it could start with the phrase “Strangest thing happened…”

    Won’t you join me for Words to live by over at Art Journal Journey?

    Art Journal Journey